Wicked Intentions
by SassyRassy
Summary: The Mills/Charming family has been in hiding for the past two years, protecting something that Rumplestiltskin desperately wants: Regina's daughter and Snow's sister. This exciting sequel to "The Apple of my Eye" follows their daring escape to the Enchanted Forest and Lillian's adventure in OZ where she finds out just how Wicked the Dark One's intentions really are. HookedQueen, OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Welcome to the first chapter of Wicked Intentions! It's important to note that this is a sequel and the first story (The Apple of My Eye) which should be read first. I own nothing but the OC of Lillian and my love for this show :) Please enjoy, and leave me a review.

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Chapter 1-

Regina struggled under the weight of the two buckets full of water which hung from a long stick resting on her shoulders. The well was in the center of the village and she really didn't want to fall on her face in front of so many people. She adjusted the stick and continued on her way when suddenly she ran right into a man causing him to drop a bucket full of milk he had brought to sell at the market.

"Oh, I'm so sorry sir," Regina felt terrible.

The man couldn't believe what had happened. "You stupid wench! That was two full gallons!"

Regina knew she had made a mistake but she was insulted at the man's rudeness. "I apologize, it was an accident. I'd be happy to pay you for your loss."

"You probably did it on purpose, just to humiliate me you murderous witch!"

Regina was shocked at his accusation. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing! Here I am apologizing to you when it very well could have been your fault. Just take the money and be on your way." She tossed some coins at him and turned to leave when he blocked her path. He was easily a foot taller than she and tried to use that to intimidate her. It didn't work. "Out of my way, or you will be sorry."

The man didn't budge. "You're not the queen anymore. I don't have to do as you say!"

"No," a voice from the surrounding crowd called out, "but she is my mother, and you WILL do as I say."

The man searched the crowd for the person who had spoken. When he saw who it was he fell to his knees and bowed his head. "Princess Lillian! I had no idea. Please, I meant no disrespect."

Lillian slowly made her way toward him. "Of course you did, you foul pig!" She stopped in front of him. "And now you will pay."

The man started whimpering and begging, "Please...No! Please, have mercy. Forgive me!"

"You want forgiveness?!" A cold laugh came from her throat as she pulled the man to his feet by his shirt. "I'll tell you what; how about I show you the same forgiveness you were willing to show my mother?" His eyes widened with fear and he let out a horrifying scream as Lillian reached into his chest and tore out his still beating heart.

Regina watched with horror as her daughter squeezed the man's heart, crushing it to dust. _No, this can't be happening! _The man fell to the ground lifelessly, his face still showing an expression of pain and fear. Lillian stared down at him, a cold satisfaction in her eyes. Regina was in shock, she couldn't believe what she had seen her daughter do. As Lillian turned to look at her mother Regina saw that she no longer looked like herself, she looked like Regina; more specifically, she looked like the Evil Queen!

Regina gasped and took a step back. _What is happening?! _"Lillian, what is going on? Why did you do that?"

Lillian replied in Cora's voice, "I did it for you sweetheart."

Regina sat straight up in bed, breathing hard as she took in her surroundings. She was relieved to discover that it had only been a dream. She was in the small house that she, Lillian, and Marie had called home since returning to the Enchanted Forest nearly two years ago. With her heart still pounding from the panic of her dream Regina quietly got out of bed and crossed the room to where her daughter lay sleeping. She stood by the bed and watched Lillian for a moment. The girl looked so peaceful as she rested. The image from her dream of Lillian tearing out and crushing a heart couldn't have been more different from the reality in front of her.

Regina knew that Lillian possessed a kind and loving heart, and that love and goodness was part of what made her so powerful. She only used her powers to protect the people she loved, but that was why the dream had bothered her so much. She knew that Lillian would never use magic to gain power, like Cora had, or to exact revenge, like she had. But she knew that Lillian could be fiercely protective over her family, and she worried that that could become a weakness the Dark One would try to exploit. Regina knew better than anyone that Rumplestiltskin could corrupt and manipulate people until they were almost unrecognizable; just like in her dream. That was why they fled Storybrooke, to keep him away from her.

She tenderly touched Lillian's cheek and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. The two of them had grown so close the past two years that Regina could hardly remember her life without her daughter. The love that had grown between them had changed her, had allowed her to let go of the hate she had lived with for so long. Between her daughter and her son, Regina finally felt like the hole that the Dark Curse created in her heart was filled. She was no longer the "Evil Queen", but just Regina-mother to Henry and Lillian. She returned to her bed and tried to fall back asleep, but the images from her dream kept playing in her mind over and over. Determined to prove the dream wrong, she vowed that she would do whatever it took to keep darkness from corrupting her daughter's pure heart.

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Lillian was loading the last of the clean laundry into the cart as she and her two mothers prepared to head to Snow White's castle to make their delivery. When they had returned to the Enchanted Forest two years ago, they had settled on a living arrangement that would provide the maximum protection for Lillian, yet allow them all to see each other regularly. Snow, Charming, Emma and Henry moved into their old castle, while Regina, Marie and Lillian moved into a modest home on the edge of the village. In order to hide their true identities, and to give them an excuse to go to the palace daily, the three women pretended to be laundresses to Snow and her family. At first the idea of even pretending to be a servant to her step daughter was slightly humiliating, but the Queen accepted it as the best way to be able to see her son every day.

Regina closed her eyes and rubbed her right temple in an effort to ease the headache that had been plaguing her all morning. Sleep had been elusive after having that dream, and she was feeling it now.

Her pain did not go unnoticed by Lillian. "Are you alright mother?"

"Yes. It's just a headache. I didn't sleep well last night"

"Did you have another dream? About Rumplestiltskin finding me?" Regina had experienced several such dreams since they left Storybroooke.

"In a manner of speaking."

Lillian put her hand on her mother's arm affectionately, "Don't worry. We haven't heard anything of him in almost 2 years. If he knew where we were he'd have shown himself by now."

She smiled reassuringly, reminding Regina so much of her younger self, she couldn't help but smile back.

"You're right dear. It was just a dream. Now we'd better get up to the castle before Emma starts practicing without us and sets the drapes on fire…again."

Lillian chuckled and walked up to the front of the cart taking the handle to begin their daily trek. As Regina passed Marie to take the other side of the handle the older woman gave the Queen a knowing look. Marie could sense that Regina truly was troubled by the dream and wanted to find out what she had seen. But that would have to wait.

At the palace the guards stepped aside to let Regina, Marie and Lillian into the courtyard, the same as every day. They crossed the courtyard and entered the palace through the servant's entrance. Once the door closed behind them Regina wasted no time before transforming her peasant clothing into something a little more regal. With a puff of purple smoke she now wore a floor length black dress and jacket; not as ornate as she used to wear when she ruled this land, but something better suited to the Queen she was. Lillian chuckled softly to herself before magically transforming her own clothing with her signature green smoke. After assisting Marie they abandoned their cart and hurried up the stairs to the library, the room the two families used as their meeting place.

They opened the door to the library to find the Charming family waiting for them. Henry greeted his mother and sister excitedly; he loved that they came to visit every day. Regina hugged him tightly and took a deep breath of relief. She could never fully relax while they were apart. Snow took her sister by the hand and the two started chatting about things sisters chat about.

"So, how are things down in the village?" Emma asked Marie.

"Just fine, your highness." Emma hated being addressed that way, even if it was considered proper. She certainly didn't feel like a royal.

"Any word from your scouts?" Regina asked every day, but after her dream the night before, she was especially anxious to hear David's answer.

He put her mind at ease, "Not even a whisper about the Dark One anywhere in the Enchanted Forest."

Regina nodded her approval and returned her focus to Henry. Lillian noticed that someone was missing.

"Where's Blue?"

The Queen scanned the room. She should have noticed she wasn't there; it was much more pleasant without the fairy's constant hovering.

"She'll be here in a little while," Snow explained. "That will give us time to discuss something very important," she added with a mischievous grin.

Lillian wasn't sure what her sister was up to. "What's that?"

"Your birthday next week, of course!"

Lillian rolled her eyes playfully, "Oh that. I told you, you don't have to make a fuss." It wasn't that she hated birthdays or anything, just being in the spotlight.

"My sister, a princess nonetheless, is turning 18…Of course I'm going to make a fuss!"

Lillian was not comfortable with the title of Princess when it was attached to her name. "Really, Snow it's not a big deal. Besides, it's just going to be the family anyway."

"It most certainly is a big deal! Now you can either give some input or I'll just plan it all myself."

She groaned, accepting the fact that Snow was not going to back down. "Ugh, alright! I guess it would be fun to have a special dinner or something."

Snow grinned triumphantly, "Now we're getting somewhere." She whipped out a small quill and a piece of parchment, ready to take notes. "What would you like for your 'special dinner'?"

That wasn't a hard question. The food was one of the things Lillian missed most about Storybrooke. "You know what I would really love, is some pizza."

The room echoed with agreement.

"Oh yeah, gooey cheese and pepperoni!" Henry thought he could eat a whole pie himself.

David added his approval, "Good call Lil!"

"Sounds perfect," Snow added. "Regina?" She looked to her step-mother for the final decision, since the meal would have to be conjured with magic.

"Would that be alright, mother" Lillian asked hopefully.

Regina pretended to consider it seriously. "I think we could arrange that," she finally answered, giving her daughter a playful wink. "It is a special occasion after all."

Lillian beamed, actually feeling excited about the upcoming party.

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Once the Blue Fairy arrived the group split up into their various activities:

Snow continued making notes about Lillian's birthday party, David and Henry went down to the armory to get in some sword training, Marie kept herself busy with a needlepoint she had been working on, while the others had a "magic lesson", as Emma called them.

Before they came to the Enchanted Forest Lillian had expressed a desire to learn magic. Regina had initially declined to teach her because she thought it might be too hard for her to be around it so much. But when they arrived and Lillian still wanted to learn she realized that there wasn't anyone else who could teach her besides the Blue Fairy. And even then, fairy magic is different so they decided to work together to instruct Lillian in the ways of magic.

The Charmings thought it would be a good idea for Emma to learn magic as well, as another means of protection, so she joined Lillian, and together they learned while Regina and Blue taught. To say that the dynamic of this group was touchy would be an understatement. Lillian was a natural and caught on to everything very quickly, whereas Emma (while quite powerful) tended to be less focused and accident prone. Regina was serious when she joked about Emma having lit the drapes on fire; it really did happen. The Queen tried to be patient with her but she often lost her temper, which Emma actually found amusing. Blue was more technical while Regina emphasized the importance of emotion and feeling, which led to the occasional power struggle. But overall they had managed to accomplish a lot in the 18 months or so they had been at it.

This day was no different from any other. Blue supervised as Lillian successfully levitated a large chair, while Regina stood biting her tongue as she watched Emma struggle to get hers off the ground.

Trying to keep the frustration out of her voice she gave her pupil some advice, "You have to _concentrate_ Emma. _Will_ the chair to rise."

Emma furrowed her brow and cocked her head to the side, "I _am_ concentrating; I just…stopped for a second."

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, resisting the urge to respond sarcastically. Just then Snow asked Regina to join her near the desk for a moment. Both women sighed with relief, and Regina excused herself.

"Excellent Lillian," Blue praised as her student skillfully lowered the chair once again. "Your technique is perfect."

Lillian smiled at the compliment, "Thank you."

"You've really mastered these last few spells, and so quickly!"

"It really feels like things are coming to me easier and easier now. I can't wait to learn the next one," she added excitedly.

"Actually, there isn't any more for me teach you."

"What?!" Lillian was surprised. She sat down in the chair sadly; she couldn't believe that was it. She loved learning magic and was hungry for the challenge of each new spell. How could she have learned it all? "That can't be it. There has to be more good magic I can learn."

Blue fluttered over to the chair and landed on the arm rest. "I've taught you everything I can. For anything else you would have to have a fairy wand and a pair of wings." She recognized that Lillian was saddened by the news so she offered a suggestion, "I can continue to coach you if you like; we can always polish things up a bit."

Lillian nodded half-heartedly; that didn't make her feel any better.

"You should be proud of yourself Lillian," she encouraged warmly, "You've accomplished so much so quickly, it really is remarkable." She patted her on the hand and flitted over to assist Emma, leaving Lillian feeling disappointed.

As Regina made her way back to the magic lesson Marie stopped her. "Regina, could I have word?"

The Queen smiled warmly at the older woman. "Of course." Marie took her by the arm as they made their way to a settee near the fireplace. It had actually been wonderful for Regina to have Marie with them these past 2 years. She had become sort of a surrogate mother for Regina, guiding her in her new role as one of the "heroes" and serving as a trusted confidant.

"I wanted to talk to you about the dream you had last night," Marie began gently. "I can tell it has been bothering you."

_She never misses a thing_, Regina thought to herself. She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was within ear shot before speaking, "It's nothing really." She felt silly worrying about a dream, but Marie insisted she tell her about it. She took a breath and glanced around the room once more. "In the dream I saw Lillian rip out a man's heart… and crush it."

Marie's forehead wrinkled as she considered what she had heard. "Was there a reason she did that," she asked thoughfully.

"Yes," Regina confirmed, "The man was threatening me."

"And you think this is a vision of the future?"

"Not necessarily," Regina clarified.

Marie shook her head, "That doesn't sound like her at all. That sounds like-"

"Like me," Regina interrupted.

Marie put her hand on the Queen's, "Like the _old _you, maybe. But that wasn't what I was doing to say dear." She patted her hand lovingly. "What I was going to say is that that sounds like the kind of thing Rumplestiltskin would _want _you to see. Do you think it's possible that he could have…given you this dream? As a way to try to frighten you?"

Regina considered this. "I think it's unlikely but I suppose it's possible."

"Then what do you think it means? What is the purpose of it?"

"I don't know exactly, but I did learn one thing from it."

"What's that dear?"

Regina turned to look at her daughter, "I learned what Lillian's weakness is." Marie watched her expectantly, waiting for the answer. Regina looked at her with sadness in her eyes, "It's me."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

On their way home from the palace that evening Regina noticed that Lillian seemed out of sorts.

"Are you alright? You've been pretty quiet since we left."

Lillian kept her eyes on the ground as they walked. "I'm fine," she shrugged.

Regina walked closer to her daughter and put her arm around her shoulders encouragingly. "I can tell when you're upset. Did something happen?"

Lillian sighed, the disappointment of it rushing to the surface again. "The Blue Fairy told me that she has nothing else to teach me. I've learned all the magic I can."

Regina looked down at the ground. She knew this had been coming and she knew that it would be hard for Lillian to accept. The girl noticed her reaction.

"Is it true? Is there nothing else for me to learn?"

"Yes, it's true." Lillian's heart sank at the confirmation. Regina tried to lift her spirits, "But we will keep training and you'll find better ways to do things. You'll develop your own style and-"

"That's not good enough," Lillian interrupted. Regina let her continue before responding. "I'm sorry. I just… I feel frustrated because I _know_ there's more out there for me to learn but no way for me to learn it."

"I'm sorry," Regina said gently. "I wish there was something I could do. But I've already taught you everything I dare."

"I know." Lillian leaned into her mother and rested her head on her shoulder as they continued to walk.

Regina thought about her daughter's situation. She knew how much Lillian loved to learn magic and how skilled she had become. It was so different than it had been for her. Lillian's magic magnified her best qualities, love, goodness and selflessness. When Regina had learned it brought out the worst in her. She understood why Rumple wanted her; she was very powerful.

She stopped walking and turned to look at Lillian. "I promise you I will find a way for you to learn everything you want to learn about magic, as long as you keep your promise to me. Do you remember?"

"That I will never use dark magic to do Rumplestiltskin's bidding."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what."

Regina smiled. "That's my girl."

Lillian looked her in the eyes very seriously. "Do you really mean it mother? Will you help me?"

The Queen looked back into the girl's eyes that were the same shade as her step-daughter's, "Yes, I will."

Lillian hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now we'd better get moving or it will be dark before we get all our chores done."

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Because she was the most easily recognized Regina rarely went into the village, so she returned to the house to get supper started while Marie and Lillian went to the market.

Regina entered the house to find someone sitting in her chair with his feet propped up on the table. The man had his back to the door and it sounded like he was sharpening a knife of some sort. The Queen's blood ran cold as she considered that her worst fear had come true; had Rumplestiltskin finally found them? He didn't look like Rumple…perhaps it was a henchman, sent to kill her. She was just about to conjure a fireball and launch it when the scraping sound stopped and the man raised his right hand to inspect the object he had been sharpening. She knew exactly who it was.

"Hook."

The man stood and turned around at the mention of his name and flashed a roguish smile before replying, "You're looking well, your Majesty. Love you in earth tones."

"What are you doing here," she demanded with a scowl.

"Well, it's been so long since we've seen each other, and since I heard you've left behind your darker ways, I thought it was time we catch up."

Regina took a step closer toward him and lowered her voice threateningly, "Just because I haven't done it in a while it doesn't mean I've forgotten how."

The pirate swept his eyes up and down her body, leaned in closer and raised his eyebrows at her, "True on many levels, I'd imagine."

She was incensed at his insinuation. She thrust her hands forward and Hook flew back pinned against the wall. "How dare you come into my home pirate!" She advanced on him intimidatingly. "The last time I saw you, you lied to me and tricked me into believing that you actually killed my mother like I asked you to. And because you _didn't_ kill her she came after me and nearly killed my daughter. Oh yes," she sneered menacingly, "I've been looking forward to seeing you again for some time."

"If I may, I can explain." His voice waivered slightly, showing his fear. "I went to Wonderland and tried to kill your mother just as you asked, but her heart was not inside her body. I was at her mercy. And as you may recall your mother's methods of persuasion are difficult to refuse. I never meant to betray you Regina."

Regina's eyes narrowed as she decided whether he was telling the truth or not. She lowered her hands and released him.

"What do you want Hook?"

Hook took a moment to regain his composure. "I've come to make it up to you."

"Why would you bother to do that? It seems a bit out of character for you."

"Once again, I believe we can help each other."

"Why would I do anything to help you?" Regina sat down in her chair.

Hooked leaned across the table, "Because I'm the only person in this entire village who knows who you really are, and why you're here: Rumplestiltskin is after your daughter."

Regina's carefully trained mask did not allow the fear she felt to show through, but her heart jumped at his words. "And how is this information valuable to you," she replied coolly.

"It could prove valuable in many ways." He sat in the chair opposite her. "But it's most worthwhile to me because the best way to catch a crocodile is to stalk its prey."

She clenched her teeth, "I'd warn you not to refer to my daughter as bait."

"Of course, my apologies. I would never dream of demeaning such a beautiful young lady." He did his best to sound sincere.

She eyed him for a moment before speaking again. It was obvious where Lillian got her protectiveness from. "What is it exactly that you are proposing Captain?"

"I am offering my services to you and your daughter, to protect you from Rumplestiltskin." He bowed his head slightly, in a courtly way.

"Considering how easily I could have killed you just now, I'm not convinced we would benefit much from your protection," she dug at him.

"That was me being a gentleman. When it comes to skinning my crocodile, I won't let anything stop me."

He spoke with such passion that she believed him. "And what is it that you want from me?"

He flashed his smile again, "I thought you'd never ask love. As you may have heard, I had a few run-ins with the Miss Swan and her mother when they last visited this land, and seeing how you've got an in with them, it would make things a lot easier if you could arrange for me to have free passage throughout their realm."

Regina considered his request. "Alright, I'll arrange it. But let's get one thing out of the way right now." She reached across the table and took hold of his lapel. "If you so much as _look_ at my daughter wrong, you're going to find yourself missing another appendage." She glanced downward before continuing, "Do I make myself clear?"

He swallowed hard and smiled nervously, "Unmistakably."

"Good." She let go and stood up. "Now you should find yourself a place to sleep. We will go to the palace first thing in the morning."

He rose from his seat and made his way to the door, nodding politely on his way out.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma moved swiftly but quietly through the brush, careful not to leave any tracks. She stopped every 20 yards or so to check that she wasn't being followed. When she reached the riverbank she took off her red leather jacket and bent down to splash some cool water on her neck. Behind her she heard the snapping of a twig. She gripped the hilt of her sword with her right hand and in one movement withdrew it and turned abruptly, prepared to strike.

"Easy!" Robin Hood held his hands in front of himself to show he meant no harm. "Do you even know how to use that thing, Princess," he joked.

Emma was not amused. "Of course I do, and don't sneak up on me next time!"

"Apologies, my lady."

Emma put her sword away and sat on a large boulder near the river. "Have you seen anything?"

"No. No sightings of anyone matching his description." Robin joined her on another boulder. He looked back in the direction of the castle. "You now if your father found out about this he'd be furious with the both of us. Not that I mind the extra gold, but he is technically my employer as well, and since he pays me to be on the lookout for the Dark One I'm not so sure he'd be too keen on me pulling double duty."

"Trust me, it's better if no one knows about this."

"Better for whom? You?"

Emma shot him a dirty look. "Listen Robin, you keep an eye out and I'll keep paying you. If I want to have my motivations analyzed I'll talk to Dr. Hopper, ok?"

"Certainly. My apologies…again." He rose to leave. Emma did the same and tossed him a small bag of gold coins. "The Merry Men thank you my lady. I'll have Mulan give you a report in two days."

She nodded and he disappeared into the woods. His question bothered her, _better for whom? _She knew it was wrong of her not to tell anyone, but she had been too afraid to face the truth. That day when she went with Mr. Gold to find his son, and discovered that he was Henry's father, had been like a nightmare. So many emotions, so many questions…. She did the only thing she knew to do: run. The worst part was that she hadn't told Henry. He had no idea that his father was alive and that she had seen him. She told herself that it was for the best, to protect him, but really it was to protect her.

From the day they arrived in the Enchanted Forest she had been looking over her shoulder, waiting for Neal to show up and confront her. When her father tasked Robin Hood and his men to watch the forest for any sign of Rumple she took the opportunity to ask them to watch for Neal as well. She didn't know what she would do if they ever did see any sign of him, so she kept praying that they never would.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lillian sat on a tree stump in the village waiting for Marie to finish up in the market. Her mother's promise had brightened her spirits a bit, but she still felt disappointed about her magic lessons. A bright light appeared above her, attracting her attention. She looked up to see the Blue Fairy hovering over her.

"Hello Blue." she acknowledged her politely, but wasn't really in the mood to talk.

"Hello Lillian," the fairy replied happily. When Lillian didn't say anything further, she spoke again. "Are you still upset about what I told you earlier?"

Lillian downplayed her true feelings to be tactful, "I'll be alright. My mother promised to help me find another way to learn more magic. It might take time, but I'm hopeful someone will come along."

The Blue Fairy nodded but did not appear to share Lillian's optimism. "Oh, well that's nice."

Lillian picked up on her doubtful tone. "What? You don't think someone will?"

"I haven't seen or heard of another magical being in this part of the forest for some time, but you never know…"

Whatever hope Lillian had was now gone. "Where could they have all gone? There has to be someplace with magic." She had said it mostly to herself but she noticed that the Blue Fairy reacted somewhat; like she flinched ever so slightly. "Is there?" When she wouldn't make eye contact Lillian knew that she knew something. "Blue, what are you not telling me?"

The fairy looked around nervously, afraid to be overheard. She fluttered closer to Lillian and spoke very quietly. "There is a place…a place in a faraway land, where those who have the gift go to study advanced magic."

Lillian's heart pounded in her chest. This could be exactly what she had been dreaming of. "What kind of place?"

"A university."

"A university?!" She could hardly contain her excitement.

"Yes," the Blue Fairy confirmed. "It's called Shiz."

_A peculiar name_, she thought. "Where is it?"

"In a land called Oz."

"Oz," Lillian said in a whisper. Even the name of it sounded magical. "What is it like?"

"It is a land with many strange creatures, and a large and beautiful city that is entirely green called the Emerald City. It's is ruled by a great and powerful man called the Wizard. He has the ability to grant wishes and only the most talented of magical beings are permitted to see him."

Lillian's head was spinning trying to picture it all. It sounded incredible. "How can I get in? How can I go there to learn magic?"

"You have to write an enchanted letter to the Wizard in squid ink. When he receives the letter he will release the enchantment from the parchment and it will demonstrate your skill to him."

That sounded difficult. She wondered if she could do it. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

The Blue Fairy looked down sheepishly, "I knew you would want to go, but I feared that your mother would be less than thrilled by the idea." She looked over her shoulder nervously again, as if she expected to see the Queen standing there with a fireball in her hand.

Lillian shook her head confidently. "No, she promised me that she would help me find a way to study magic, and now we have! She'll have to agree."

Her excitement was contagious and Blue couldn't help but smile, "I hope you're right!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Lillian had been bursting with excitement to talk to her mother about Shiz when she got home, but the Queen had some news of her own to share. She told her daughter and Marie about her visit from Hook and explained that he would be following them closely to watch out for Rumplestiltskin.

Marie was concerned about this. "A pirate?" She put her arm around Lillian protectively. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"He's harmless, I can assure you."

Lillian wasn't convinced. "How do we know we can trust him?"

"It's not about trust," Regina explained, "It's about knowing what he's after. What he wants is Rumplestiltskin, nothing more."

Marie and Lillian looked at each other. This whole experience the past two years had been unfamiliar to them; hiding from enemies, making deals with less than reputable characters, and such. They had relied on Regina's expertise and followed her lead. If she felt like this was a good alliance to make then they would trust her. Both women nodded their agreement. Satisfied, Regina went back to dishing up supper.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning as they made their way up to the castle they were met by Captain Hook. "Good morning ladies. May I say you are the most beautiful laundresses I've ever had the pleasure of seeing." He bowed grandly, laying on the charm, and as he rose he shot Marie a wink. The older woman made a disapproving face at his flirtatious behavior and turned to fuss over the cart. Amused that he had annoyed her Hook shifted his focus to Lillian. "Princess, it is truly an honor to meet you." He picked up her hand and kissed it. Lillian wasn't sure what to think of him; he wasn't quite what she had expected. "I see you share your mother's beauty," he added with a smile to Regina.

The Queen rolled her eyes and took her daughter's hand out of his. "That's enough Romeo, into the cart." She pointed at the small cart they used to carry the laundry to and from the palace.

Hook eyed it suspiciously; it looked smaller than one of the cargo holds on his ship. "You expect me to fit in there?"

"Not comfortably," Regina replied with a smirk. When he continued to resist she explained, "We have to get you inside the palace somehow. I suppose you could put on a dress and pretend to be a woman… "

Hook returned her smirk. "I've done that once before love; didn't care for it." She raised her eyebrows playfully. He stubbornly tried to find another way, "Why can't you just disguise me with your magic?"

Regina didn't want to have to explain herself to him, but it was obvious that he wasn't going to get in the cart unless it was his only option. "As you said, I've been trying to do things differently. Getting you into the palace seems like an unnecessary use of magic."

He understood that this was quite the change for her, since she had always used magic for everything before. He decided to drop it and get in the cart. He climbed up and lay down on his side, tucking his knees in close to his chest. He was pretty sure he had never looked more ridiculous. Lillian and Marie snickered quietly, and he saw a smile flash across Regina's lips. "I'm glad you're all enjoying this."

"Just a little, "Regina teased.

Lillian joined in. "We'll try not to hit any big bumps on the way Captain."

"How kind, "Hook mumbled as Marie threw a blanket over him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After several uncomfortable minutes they were finally inside the palace. Lillian pulled the blanket off the cart and she and Regina assisted Hook in climbing down.

"Bloody hell!" He winced as he straightened his back and shook the numbness out of his legs.

Regina laughed under her breath. "For a man who lost a hand once I thought you'd be able to handle a few minutes cramped in a cart with a little less whining."

He groaned again as he held his lower back. "I think I'd rather lose the other hand than get back in that cart. Please tell me you have another way out?"

"Of course. Shall we get to it?" She gestured to the stairwell that led to the library. Lillian led the way and they filed out of the room.

Just before they entered the library Regina paused and in a cloud of purple smoke transformed her peasant clothes into something more flattering. She now wore a long chocolate brown skirt and a white long sleeve blouse with a brown leather vest and matching belt. Lillian did likewise, changing into a pretty dark green velvet dress, and then assisted Marie.

While Hook appreciated the way the new clothing accentuated their figures, he found the change a little bazaar. He expressed his confusion with a not-so-subtle snort.

Regina turned and looked at him expectantly. "Is something funny?"

"Curious really," he replied thoughtfully. "So, using magic to conceal my appearance is 'unnecessary', but you consider it appropriate for a wardrobe change?"

"Always," Regina replied matter-of-factly as she turned the door knob and entered the room.

Hook rolled his eyes. "Women..."

The Charming family was waiting for them and greeted them with warm smiles. Those smiles quickly faded however as soon as they saw Hook.

"What the hell?" Emma, who spent the most time with the pirate out of her family, was shocked to see him. He winked at her facetiously.

David stepped in front of his wife and daughter protectively. "What is going on," he demanded.

Regina came forward, "It's alright. He came here with us."

David looked back at Snow, both of them trying to decide what to do next.

Snow shrugged her shoulders and moved closer to her step-mother. "Regina, a word please?"

The Queen crossed the room with David, Snow and Emma to the window.

"What do you mean 'he came here with you'? Why?" David kept his eye on the pirate as he spoke.

"How did he find you," Snow asked quickly.

"What is he doing here," asked Emma at the same time.

"All of you just calm down for a moment and let me explain!" Regina took a breath and looked them all in the eye before she went on. "Hook knows that Rumplestiltskin is after Lillian. I don't know how, but he does. He came here because he thinks Rumple will come after her and he will finally have his chance at revenge. He came to me and offered to protect Lillian from Rumple."

"And you trust him? What if it's a trick," Emma thought it sounded too easy.

"What would that trick be, to turn us over to the Dark One? What could he possibly hope to gain from that?" She paused to let her words sink in. "If there's one thing I know about Hook, it's that he hates Rumple more than we do. And if aligning with us gets him closer to killing his enemy, then that is reason enough for him."

"You don't think he's dangerous?" Snow worried about having him around.

Regina shook her head confidently. "He knows the lines he's not allowed to cross and what will happen if he does."

David thought of something else. "What does he want in return? I'm sure there's a price."

Regina nodded. "Free passage throughout your realm." The three Charmings looked at each other in silent conference, each weighing the pros and cons of aligning themselves with Hook. Regina knew they needed just a little more assurance before they would agree. "This is a no-lose situation for us. We give him free passage through the kingdom, and in return we get an extremely dedicated and skilled fighter to serve as a watchman and protector for Lillian. If you're hung up on whether we should trust him or not, don't be. He owes me a favor. He wouldn't dare cross me."

After another moment's hesitation they finally agreed. "Alright," David sighed. "But he's not staying in my castle like some guest of honor."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With Hook's arrival and incorporation into the group Lillian couldn't find the right time to talk to her mother about Shiz. The longer she had to wait the more nervous she got. When the Blue Fairy showed up for their magic lesson she asked for her advice.

"Perhaps it would be best if you wait to talk to your mother until you know that you've been accepted," Blue suggested. "That way if you are you can show her that you are truly ready to take this step."

That sounded reasonable to Lillian. She nodded her agreement. "Blue, would you help me with the letter?"

The Fairy smiled warmly, "Of course I will."

Lillian smiled as well. She felt a little guilty about applying without talking to her mother first, but what Blue said made sense. It would be easier to talk to her if she knew whether she had been accepted or not; and Regina would probably be more likely to let her go. They decided to start working on the letter to the Wizard the next day.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A couple of days later the family had gone down to the river for an outing. Snow hadn't been feeling well so she and Marie stayed behind while David stood on the bank with Henry and Emma. They were trying to untangle the line that had gotten caught on a log. Lillian and Blue worked on the enchantment to send with the squid ink on the other side of the river.

Regina sat with her back against a tree as she rolled Daniel's ring between her fingers again and again, lost in her thoughts. Hook returned from a quick patrol of the surrounding wood and stopped a few feet away from the Queen. He watched her as she fiddled with the old ring, her brow furrowed; she was obviously deep in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about and after a while his curiosity had to be satisfied.

He crept up quietly behind her and knelt down so that he could whisper in her ear, "In my experience when a woman looks the way you do she is either regretting a night of passion, or in need of one."

Regina scoffed in disapproval at his remark and scooted away from him. "Do you ever think with your _brain_?"

Amused at her reaction but not wishing to argue he apologized, "Sorry, old habit."

"Well try breaking it." She focused her attention on Henry and pretended to ignore the pirate.

He followed her gaze and watched as Emma and the boy laughed together as they attempted to cast the now untangled line into the center of the river. His eyes returned to the woman next to him. Her face still wore the same concerned expression it had before he had intruded on her repose. His curiosity peaked again and he attempted to uncover the source of her worries. "It must be hard for you, to share your son with someone else," he ventured.

Regina eyed him suspiciously, not sure about his intentions. "It's not as difficult as it used to be, but yes it can be trying at times."

He was pleased that she seemed to be playing along. "Then why do you do it," he probed further.

AS they made eye contact it seemed to the Queen that he was genuinely interested to know about the unique parenting situation she found herself in. "I spent more than a year fighting against it. That fight almost resulted in his death." She shook her head slightly, dismissing the horrible memory. "Ultimately I decided that having him this way was better than not having him at all."

Hook considered that for a moment. "And your daughter?"

Regina looked across the river at Lillian, a wistful look in her eyes. "I'm still making up for lost time there."

She was speaking more freely now, her guard lowered. "That ring, I'm guessing it didn't belong to Lillian's father."

"No, it did not."

"Someone else then," he paused as if thinking who it could be. "A lover perhaps?"

He thought she might get angry at him and stop talking, but to his surprise she didn't. Instead her voice became soft and she lowered her eyes to the ground sadly.

"Yes, from long ago."

"What happened to him?"

"He was killed."

Hook saw pain flash across her face. It was the kind of pain that only those who had been through something devastating could understand. He recognized it as the kind of pain he often felt when he thought about his past. Something about her eyes was so beautifully tragic that he couldn't look away.

"He was soldier?"

"No. A stable boy. My mother killed him. She tore out his heart and crushed it to dust in front of me, all so that I would marry the King and become Queen."

He couldn't believe what he had heard. He shook his head, amazed at shocked at the coincidence. "I'm sorry Regina. I know the pain of losing someone you love all too well."

She hadn't expected him to be able to relate. "You?"

"Yes. My love, Milah, was killed in very much the same way at the hand of Rumplestiltskin."

"That's why you want to kill him."

"Yes. He took her life and my hand and for that he will pay if it is the last thing I do."

The anger and pain in his voice was all too familiar to Regina. "I know the feeling," she admitted.

Their eyes met. It truly was amazing: the similarity of their tragic pasts, the path of revenge they had both gone down…

"It seems we have quite a bit in common," Hook spoke gently as he continued to stare into her deep brown eyes.

For the first time Regina saw Hook not as a roguish pirate, but as a damaged man who used his boorish behavior as a way to mask his pain. She smiled faintly, pleased that she had seen the man behind the Hook. "Perhaps we do, captain."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Blue Fairy landed softly on a patch of moss that had grown over a fallen tree deep in the forest. The moon was but a sliver in the night sky making the wood very dark. She looked around nervously, waiting for him to appear. Without a sound he materialized behind her and stood waiting patiently for her to notice his arrival. She felt his presence and turned swiftly to face the hooded figure.

"Good evening fairy," he began coolly. "What news have you?"

Blue swallowed hard, her courage failing. "I have done as you requested. The girl has written the letter and sent it to Oz."

Beneath his hood his lips curled in a devilish grin. "Excellent. It would appear you have not been completely useless after all."

She wanted to leave, to fly away as fast as she could, but she knew if she tried it would mean the end of her life. "Please, I have done what you asked. Let me return home and live in peace."

"Not just yet dearie," Rumple moved closer to her, removing his hood as he walked. His eyes flashed excitedly in the sparse moonlight as he stood before her. "My work is only beginning."


	4. Chapter 4

The next several days were spent preparing for Lillian's birthday party and the day before the big event Snow kicked everyone out of the castle to finalize the decorations. Hook went on a patrol in the forest and Emma and David went into the village to work on a gift for Lillian so Regina was able to get some one on one time with Henry.

The whole Mills family went down to the stables together; it was a beautiful summer day, perfect for riding. Regina had loved horses ever since she was a little girl and enjoyed sharing her passion for the sport with her children.

Henry was a natural in the saddle. He had been a little nervous to ride the first time because of the incident at the Storybrooke stables with Daniel, but once he got on it was like he had been riding all his life. Regina had taught him to do jumps and had even made a course for him to practice on. It was something the two of them loved to do together.

It was an especially hot day so Lillian and Marie sat in the shade nearby watching as Regina and Henry rode. Marie held a small fan in her right hand which she waved back and forth slowly as she leaned against the tree with her eyes closed. Lillian could see that the fan's motion was slowing as the older woman came closer to falling asleep. That was fine with her. She hadn't felt like talking so she had pretended to read. It had been five days since she had finished her letter to the Wizard and sent it off to OZ and each day since then had been full of anxiety for her. She hated waiting to hear if she had been accepted or not but that was all she could do, just sit and wait. It was proving difficult; she had trouble focusing on anything and found herself lost in her own thoughts a lot of the time.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Marie's fan finally stop moving and rest gently against her chest. She was out. Lillian closed her book and lay it down on her lap, grateful to end the charade. She looked out over the field and watched her mother lead her horse cleanly over a fairly high rail. Henry cheered for her and both of them were beaming, which brought a smile to Lillian's face as well. She loved seeing her mother like this, happy and carefree. Because of Rumplestiltskin Regina was nearly always on guard, worrying, and watching for any sign of him. It was nice to see that fade away, even for just a little while.

A feeling of guilt swept through her and settled in the pit of her stomach, just as it had been doing since she sent the letter. She felt guilty about not telling her mother about Shiz. At the time it had seemed like a good idea to wait until she knew if she was in but now it felt wrong to keep it from her. They were very close and she didn't want this to create a rift between them. She had almost told her many times but something had always stopped her; the fear that Regina would say no. Lillian couldn't deny that attending Shiz was her dream, and she had just wanted to keep it alive a little longer. Her face clearly showed the emotions she was struggling with.

"Something on your mind dear?"

Lillian jumped at the unexpected sound of Marie's voice. She turned to look at her adopted mother and tried to act like she didn't know what she was talking about.

"No, I'm just watching the horses." She picked up her book again and opened it to a random page.

Marie wasn't fooled. She raised her eyebrows suspiciously and scooted closer to the girl. "Now now, I know when there is something bothering you." She put her arm around her in a comforting way. "Why don't you tell me what it is and get it off your chest?" When Lillian hesitated she tried to encourage her to talk, "You can tell me anything sweetheart."

Her gentle words persuaded Lillian to open up. She lay the book down again and looked up at Marie. "I think I made a mistake," she admitted sheepishly. "And I'm afraid it's too late to fix it."

"In my experience it's never too late to right a wrong."

"But I've made a decision that I can't take back."

"What decision is that?"

Lillian glanced over her shoulder to make sure Regina was still out of ear shot before speaking.

"Have you ever heard of a land called OZ?"

Marie shook her head, "I can't say that I have."

"It's a land very far from here, ruled by a wonderful man they call The Wizard, and magic is taught there at a university." A smile spread across her face when she talked about Shiz. "I applied."

Marie's eyes widened with surprise at this and a nervous feeling settled in her stomach. "But you're supposed to be in hiding, how could you attend a university? Aren't you worried Rumplestiltskin will find you? He could hear of your name being connected to the school or-"

"I've already thought of that," Lillian interjected. "I used a fake name in my application letter. The Blue Fairy told me-"

"The Blue Fairy?" Marie cut in, surprised to hear that the fairy was involved in some way.

Lillian picked up on the concern in the older woman's voice. She didn't want her friend to get into trouble for helping her. "Yeah, I asked her if she knew anything about OZ," she lied. "You know, since she's travelled to many lands. And she told me that the people there have very strange names so I just made one up."

That explanation pacified Marie a bit but she still didn't like the idea. She would have pushed for more information about how the girl even learned about this place, but she wanted Lillian to keep talking and not get defensive. "Well, that...certainly is a big decision." She watched as Lillian turned to check on Regina again. Suddenly she understood what was troubling the girl.

"You haven't told your mother, have you?"

Lillian's eyes met Marie's briefly before she looked down at the ground and simply nodded.

Marie was confused; over the two years they had spent together she had seen Lillian and Regina grow very close; she didn't understand why Lillian would keep something like that from her mother.

"Why not," she asked gently.

Lillian kept her eyes on the ground. "Because I was afraid she would say no." She looked up, half expecting Marie to be cross with her. When she saw that Marie was sympathetic instead of angry she explained further.

"I thought that if I could show her that I had been accepted she might be more willing to let me go. But now I'm afraid she'll be angry that I didn't tell her and say no because of that."

Even though Marie had raised Lillian she saw Regina as her mother, and the one who had the right to make decisions about what was best for her. She never tried to force her opinion, but served more as a counselor that Regina came to for advice, which she gave honestly.

"Your mother only wants you to be happy and safe. She might be a little hurt that you didn't discuss it with her but she'll get over it, and then she'll make the decision she feels is best for you."

Lillian looked as troubled as ever as she wrestled with the guilt she was feeling. "What should I do?"

"Talk to her, the sooner the better," Marie said plainly.

Lillian nodded in agreement; she knew that Marie was right. "Do you think she'll let me go?"

This was one of those questions that Marie had to be careful about answering. She didn't want to give Lillian any false hope or the misunderstanding that she was ok with it. But she had been asked and honest question and she would give an honest answer.

"I think it will be difficult for you to convince her." Lillian's head dropped a little with disappointment. Marie continued, "But I think the more you open up to her, the better your chances are." She cupped her hand around Lillian's cheek affectionately and looked her in the eyes, "What the two of you have is very special; I've never seen a mother and daughter so protective of one another. The love between you is _true_. Remember that, no matter what happens."

Lillian smiled warmly and hugged Marie. The older woman wrapped her arms around the girl, realizing that she was no longer a child but had become a woman, a woman who wanted to find her way in the world. As she held her she imagined that she was holding onto Lillian's youth, trying to keep it close for just a little longer.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On their way back to the house Regina was all smiles; clearly her time with Henry had done much to lift her spirits. She was in such a good mood that she even invited Hook in for supper, which had never happened before. Lillian couldn't have asked for a better moment to bring up the subject of Shiz.

Just as they were about to enter the house Regina asked Lillian if she would bring in a few logs for the fire. She complied and went to the woodpile to fetch some. Suddenly she heard someone whisper her name from the bushes on the other side of the pile. She set down the bundle in her arms and slowly crept forward, peering into the bushes to see who had called her.

"Who's there," she whispered tensely.

The Blue Fairy flitted into view, hovering behind a branch. "Are we alone?" She glanced around nervously.

"Yes, everyone is inside. What are you doing sneaking around?"

"I have something to show you. It can't wait for morning." She smiled mischievously, excited to share her news. She withdrew from her satchel a green envelope and held it out to Lillian.

The emerald paper glittered softly in the fading sunlight. She read the name written in elegant and elaborate script on the front: _E. West_, the alias she had come up turned the envelope over to examine the green wax seal across the fold. The word OZ was stamped into the seal in the same lettering as her name. This was it; the decision from the Wizard.

She had planned on talking to her mother and making things right before she had received the decision, but now that it was here, in her hand, the only thing she could think about was opening it and reading what it said.

She looked up at Blue, her nerves and excitement clearly discernible on her face.

"Well, open it," the fairy prodded playfully.

Lillian swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and opened the envelope. She pulled out a piece of light green parchment and unfolded it. With another deep breath and a glance toward the house to ensure no one was watching, she read aloud:

"_Miss West,_

_Thank you for your interest in Shiz University. I was very impressed by the enchantment you incorporated into your letter. It is obvious that you have been taught well and must possess a truly rare natural talent for sorcery, as I understand you have only been studying for 2 years. Your effort and desire to increase your skill is to be commended. As you may know, only the students who show the utmost potential are admitted into our Advanced Magical Studies program. This traditionally has largely consisted of those with the most impressive magical lineages. It is unfortunate that you lack such an ancestry, as far as the information you provided. However, just as every great tree must begin with a single seed, I feel that you could be the beginning of a wonderful magical legacy. _

_Therefore, I am pleased to extend an invitation to you to join us at Shiz and continue your training in our Advanced Magical Studies program. I hope you will continue to work hard and increase your abilities during your time here. I know I can expect great things from you Miss West. _

_Regards,_

_The Wizard"_

Tears welled up in her eyes, making the words on the page fuzzy. Lillian blinked them away and re-read the second paragraph again. She had been accepted!

"I'm in…I'm in!" She started jumping up and down, unable to contain the excitement she felt.

The Blue Fairy clapped her hands and smiled tensely, but was careful not to be too loud. With a weary glance toward the house again she put the smile back on her face and spoke quietly, "I knew you could do it." She couldn't keep her eyes off the house. She was terrified that Regina would come looking for Lillian at any moment, and she knew that if the Queen ever found out that she had played a part in all this she would be dead before she could offer any sort of explanation.

She decided she had better get out of there. "Congratulations Lillian, I'll see you tomorrow at the party."

Lillian didn't even notice she had gone, she just kept staring at the letter trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she had gotten in. But after a few moments the euphoria began to fade and she was left to face the reality that she may have been accepted to Shiz but it still wasn't decided if she was going or not. That would be decided by one person, and one person only: Regina.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Thank you to all of you who have been reading this story and especially to those who have taken the time to leave a review. It's greatly appreciated! And I would like to give a special thank you/shout out to karjens44 for being my beta & for her encouraging words. You rock!**

* * *

Chapter 5:

A bright beam of morning sunlight fell across Lillian's face drawing her from her sleep. She squinted against the glare and rolled over onto her left side turning her back to the window. Blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the change in lighting she saw that her mothers were standing in the kitchen waiting for her to wake up. They smiled at her warmly, as if they had been waiting for a while.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at their behavior, unsure why they were watching her. _Oh, that's right, it's my birthday._ She returned their smiles and sat up.

"Morning." Her voice was gravelly from having just woken up.

"Good morning," Marie said as she kissed her on the cheek. "Happy birthday dear!"

"Thank you," she replied as she stood up.

"Happy birthday sweetheart," Regina said softly in her ear as she pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you mother."

As they separated Regina took a moment to notice how grown up her daughter looked. This was only the second time she had been able to celebrate Lillian's birthday with her, besides the day she was born. Just like last year, she found it to be a surprisingly emotional day for her, full of joy at finally being able to be with her daughter, and guilt at having missed so many other birthdays. However, she did her best to hide that emotion for Lillian's sake and just focus on making her day special.

"We've got a surprise for you," Marie teased as she led Lillian to the kitchen table.

"What kind of surprise?"

"Just a little birthday magic," Regina replied with a smile.

As she approached the table a mouthwatering scent filled her nose. It was something she hadn't smelled since the last time she had eaten at Granny's Diner.

"Chocolate chip pancakes!" Lillian picked up the plate that was heaped with the delicious treat and brought it closer, making sure she wasn't imaging them.

"Oh, they smell amazing! Thank you so much!"

Her smile lit up her entire face which made Regina very happy. "I know how much you've missed Storybrooke food."

"Tuck in, while they're still warm," Marie instructed as she placed the syrup on the table.

Lillian didn't need to be told twice, she scooped up three pancakes and placed them on her plate and started spreading butter on the top. Marie and Regina started dishing up as well when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," the Queen offered as she got up from her seat and crossed to the door.

She turned the knob to find Hook, looking rather impatient.

"How long does it take you ladies to get ready? We should be up at the castle already." He stepped inside the house and saw that they were just sitting down to breakfast. "Getting a late start are we?"

Regina closed the door and clicked her tongue at him, obviously annoyed.

"I _told _you yesterday, we're not going to the castle until _later_. Today is different."

"What's different about it?"

Marie rolled her eyes. "It's Lillian's birthday!"

Hook put his hand to his forehead, indicating that he had forgotten. "Oh yes, I remember you mentioning that. My apologies Princess, I hope you can forgive my stupidity."

He bowed at the waist, withdrew something from his coat pocket and presented it to Lillian. She eyed him curiously and leaned forward to see what it was. It was a life-size, intricately carved, wooden rose bud. He raised his head and gave her a mischievous smile.

"Happy birthday." He hadn't forgotten at all.

She took the gift from him and examined it up close. The detail was incredible, the workmanship very fine, and she was surprised at his thoughtfulness.

"It's beautiful! Thank you Hook."

He nodded graciously and turned to look at Regina who was just as surprised as her daughter. Their eyes met briefly and a soft smile graced her lips.

"Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

Lillian's question pulled his focus from Regina. "Thank you, I'd be honored. If you're sure there's enough."

"There's plenty," Regina assured as she put a plate at the empty place at the table.

He nodded his thanks and sat down. Marie eyed him suspiciously as she passed the plate of pancakes to him.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. He cocked his head to the side, trying to discern what they were eating.

Stumped he decided to ask. "Uh, what do you call this fare?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes," Lillian replied.

That didn't help him.

"Just try them," Regina insisted, putting some on his plate. "Here, do what I do."

She went through the process of buttering the pancakes and pouring the syrup on top. He followed her lead and prepared his as well. As he took his first bite his eyes closed almost involuntarily as the chocolate and syrup overwhelmed his taste buds.

"Oh my," he murmured as he swallowed that morsel.

The three women chuckled slightly, amused at his reaction.

"Good huh?" Lillian asked with a smile.

Hook nodded in agreement. "Remarkable…"

Without another word he devoured what was on his plate and went back for more.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hook reclined in his chair and rested his hook on his chest.

"I don't think I can move." He exhaled slowly, in obvious discomfort.

"Eight pancakes will do that to you," Regina explained with an amused smile. They were ready to head up to the castle now.

"Come now Captain," Marie teased, "you can work it off by pulling the cart."

He grunted slightly as he sat up in his chair. The group followed their usual path to the castle and was admitted into the courtyard by the guards. Hook was surprised however that they parked the cart near the gate rather than going inside through the servant's entrance.

"What are we doing," he asked.

"Lillian is having a special luncheon with Snow today. The rest of us will be working on final preparations for the dinner tonight."

As Lillian transformed her clothes and got herself ready for her lunch with Snow Marie leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "Have you spoken to your mother yet?"

The girl glanced over her shoulder to make sure she couldn't hear. "Not yet," she whispered back. "I will today, I promise."

Marie raised her eyebrows as if to say "_well you'd better"_. Lillian nodded a promise and hurried over to Regina to say a quick goodbye; she was late.

"Bye, mother." She leaned in and the two kissed each other on the cheek.

"Goodbye, dear."

She turned and jogged toward the far side of the courtyard where Snow was waiting in the gazebo. Marie went inside to begin work in the kitchen. She was in charge of the cake and wanted to put a few finishing touches on it. Regina walked to the back of the cart and began untying the cover that concealed its contents. Hook followed and started untying the other side. He looked inside and saw several packages and some sort of plant.

"What's all this?"

"Gifts for Lillian." She explained as she started to pick up the plant.

"Here, allow me." Hook picked it up and motioned for Regina to place the other items in his arms as well. She did so and thanked him for assisting her. She directed him to take them to the door where a servant took them up to the library.

Hook didn't know if Regina had anywhere to rush off to at the moment but he wanted the chance to talk to her again now that he had her alone. He found the Queen fascinating and truly enjoyed trying to figure her out.

"So, what birthday does this mark for Lillian," he began in a friendly tone as they walked back toward the courtyard.

"Her eighteenth."

He picked up on the wistful tone in her voice. "Is it hard for you to see her so grown up?"

Once again the pirate had surprised her with his perceptiveness. She searched his face to discover his intentions. Deciding that he genuinely wanted to know, she replied truthfully, "A bit. Mostly because I missed so much in between."

He noticed that she looked down at the ground, the way she always did when she reflected on her painful memories. It wasn't hard to see that the decision she had made to give up her daughter all those years ago still haunted her. He suddenly had the desire to comfort her.

"But you're together now, that's what matters."

He gave her a sympathetic smile, which she returned gratefully. "Yes, and I couldn't be happier about that."

They continued walking, aimlessly wandering through the gardens. Regina found herself truly enjoying Hook's company and wanted to keep the conversation going.

"Eighteen seems like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?"

She flashed a dazzling smile at him and he felt his heart skip a beat. "It quite literally is for me. Perhaps a few lifetimes ago."

"You're not the only one," she admitted and the two of them laughed about their magically ambiguous ages.

She found herself momentarily mesmerized by the way his smile reached up to the corners of his crystal blue eyes. She forced herself to look away as he spoke again.

"Where were you at that age? What were you doing?"

"At eighteen? Let's see…I was married, the Queen, and had Lillian within the next year."

Hook was amazed that so much had happened to her so young; he didn't know what to say.

"What about you, Captain," Regina asked, breaking the silence. "What were you doing at eighteen?"

Hook had to think about it. It _had_ been over two centuries ago. "Well, certainly nothing as impressive as you. Hmm…eighteen… I was a sailor in the Royal Navy, along with my brother Liam."

"Really? I can't picture you in a uniform…"

"Well, it's true. I was a respectable sailor for three years and then I became an officer under my brother who served as Captain of our ship. _My _ship now."

It was intriguing to Regina to imagine this pirate as a naval officer; it seemed so unlikely.

"How did you become a pirate then? What happened?"

Hook had not shared this story with many people because it was deeply painful for him. But since Regina had been so open with him he felt it only fair to reciprocate.

"The King himself entrusted our Captain, my brother, to embark on a mission to retrieve something that would enable us to defeat our enemies and end what had become a long drawn out war. He sent us to a place called Neverland to retrieve a plant known as dreamshade, told us that it had the power to heal any injury." His face grew hard as he continued, "But we had been lied to. The dreamshade was actually a very powerful poison that the King intended to use to slaughter countless people. We learned just how dangerous it was when my brother was poisoned by it. He died as soon as we returned home."

Hook stopped talking, fighting to control the emotions the memory still brought up. Regina had been listening intently and felt the sadness and pain right along with him.

"I'm so sorry," she said gently.

Hook cleared his throat and finished his tale. "Thank you. I was furious. My brother was killed for an unjust cause. I vowed right then and there that I would avenge his death and sail under my own flag, not for a dishonorable king who had stolen his life."

Regina nodded. She understood exactly what Hook had felt. It was the same way she felt when she learned that Snow had told her mother about Daniel. He was right; they really _did_ have a lot in common.

They continued walking in silence for a moment, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

It was Regina who spoke first, "So, I know _what _you were, but I don't know _who _you were…"

Hook looked up at her and smiled. This was something that even fewer people knew about him, and that was how he liked it. But when she smiled at him again there was no way he could refuse her.

"Killian. Killian Jones."

She was pleased that he had told her. "Killian," she repeated slowly. "I like it."

"Thank you my lady."

Silence resumed between them as they drew near the palace again; both feeling a little disappointed that they had run out of path. They stopped near the cart, where they had started their walk, and turned to face each other. Neither one of them knew what to say. Eventually Regina broke the awkward silence.

"Well, I'd better get in there and help with dinner."

Hook nodded. "Of course, and I'd better head out to the forest and do a quick patrol. We wouldn't want the Dark One spoiling your daughter's birthday party now would we?" He smiled at her playfully, which she returned.

"No, we certainly wouldn't." She almost turned to leave but turned back, "Thank you, by the way, for your gift. It was very thoughtful of you."

Hook gave a little smirk. "You liked that, huh?"

"Yes, it was beautiful."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that." He took a few steps closer to her and slipped something into her left hand before going on, "because I made one for you too."

She turned her hand over and saw another wooden rose bud just like Lillian's. She ran her fingertips over it gently, admiring the delicate work. Another smile adorned her beautiful face and Hook didn't stop himself from staring.

She saw the way he looked at her, recognized the longing in his eyes. "Thank you…Killian," she said flirtatiously.

He bowed his head and raised it again just in time to catch her eye before she turned and walked away. Regina looked down at the rose again and felt a flutter in her stomach. She wasn't sure what was happening between them but she knew that she liked it and hoped it could happen again.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Snow had thought it would be nice for her and Lillian to have a quiet lunch together, just the two of them. With all her duties and responsibilities as the leader of her people it was difficult to make time to do normal sister things very often. But Lillian's birthday was something she definitely wanted to share with her. The gazebo had been set up beautifully with a table and chairs and a lovely meal. She sat patiently waiting for her sister to arrive.

"Sorry I'm late," Lillian apologized as she came jogging up to their meeting place.

Snow smiled warmly, "You're not late when you're the guest of honor."

Lillian walked over and they embraced affectionately.

"Happy birthday!"

"Thank you. Wow, look at all this!" She gestured to the table and the meal that was waiting for them. "I told you, you didn't have to make a fuss."

"And I told _you, _of course I'm going to make a fuss! So get used to it."

Lillian laughed as they sat down together and started dishing up.

"So, have you had a good birthday so far," Snow inquired.

"It's been great," Lillian replied happily. "Marie and Regina made me chocolate chip pancakes."

"That's nice!" Snow watched Lillian pour herself a drink and then spoke again. "Did you get anything surprising or special?"

Lillian nodded, "Actually yes, Hook carved a beautiful wooden rose bud for me! Totally unexpected."

Snow smiled politely, "Yes, that is." She watched Lillian again, looking for something in her body language but coming up with nothing. She asked another question, this time applying a little more pressure. "But was there anything you got that you've been waiting for? A special card or letter perhaps?"

Lillian's head shot up and she swallowed nervously. Did Snow know about the letter from the Wizard? Did she know about Shiz? "Why do you ask?" She tried to sound casual but her voice betrayed that she was hiding something.

Snow smiled triumphantly. _So there was something… _"I just heard that you had received a very important and personal letter yesterday."

She had to know. But who had told her? The Blue Fairy? What if she talked to Regina, she couldn't hear it from someone else…

"Snow I can explain, you see-"

"You don't have to explain anything Lil, I understand completely."

Lillian was taken back; she didn't expect Snow to respond like that. "You do?"

Snow smiled sweetly, "Of course. I've been in your shoes before."

Now Lillian was completely confused. When had Snow ever applied to a magical university and hidden it from her mother? Something wasn't right…

Snow went on, "Your first love is so exciting! Everything is new and feels amazing; every touch, every word." She sighed, remembering the feelings fondly. "It's the most amazing feeling in the world. And I'm so happy that you've found romance."

"Romance?!" Clearly there had been a misunderstanding. Somehow she had heard that the Blue Fairy had given her a "special letter" and had assumed it was a love note of some kind. _What am I supposed to do now?_ She decided that letting Snow think she had a suitor for a few hours was better than explaining the truth at that moment. She really needed to talk to her mother before she told anyone else.

"But why didn't you tell me," Snow wanted to know.

"Oh, well you know," she explained lamely, "I just didn't want to jinx it."

For the rest of their lunch Snow proceeded to give Lillian relationship advice, and share story after story from her experiences in dating. Luckily for Lillian she didn't have to say much at all and spent a lot of the time thinking of how she was going to tell Regina.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Thank you so much! I love it Emma." Lillian hugged her niece and then set the music box she had given her on the table.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Open this one next dear." Marie handed her a flat package that had a green bow on it.

Lillian smiled broadly as she tore through the wrapping to reveal a beautiful hand knitted blanket Marie had made for her. It was green and grey in a chevron pattern, Lillian's favorite.

"Oh, it's beautiful Marie! I'll put it on my bed as soon as we get home." She hugged her adopted mother who gave her a big kiss on the cheek as well. She placed it on the table next to the other gifts.

"The last one is from me," Regina announced bringing the plant she had brought in the cart out from behind her chair.

Lillian bent down to examine it and required no explanation for what it was.

"An apple tree," she said softly.

Regina nodded, happy that her daughter understood the gift so quickly. "Our old trees got left behind in Storybrooke, so I thought we could start a new one here; together."

Lillian's felt tears form in the corners of her eyes. She was deeply touched by the sentiment of her mother's gift.

"Thank you mother," she said as she took her by the hand. "I love it. I truly do."

They embraced and a few tears rolled down Regina's cheeks. The rest of the family applauded softly, and admired the many special gifts she had received. The sound of a knife clanking on a glass got everyone's attention and they all turned to face David who had been the source.

Regina kept her arm around Lillian, who rested her head on her mother's shoulder comfortably as David spoke.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say, that was an amazing party Snow!" Another round of applause confirmed that everyone agreed. Snow waved her hand graciously. David continued, "An amazing party for an amazing young lady." The group agreed with his compliment, which made Lillian blush. David held up his glass and everyone followed suit. "To Lillian!"

"To Lillian" they echoed.

After a sip from his glass, David had one more thing to say, "Now, let's bring out the cake!"

There were cheers of agreement once more but Lillian spoke up and everyone stopped to listen as she came forward to stand in front of them all.

"Before we do that, I have something I want to say." She smiled warmly and looked around at each member of the group: her mothers, her brother, her sister and brother-in-law, her niece and her friends Hook and Blue. She sincerely thanked each of them for their love and support, and their willingness to protect her these past two years.

"I can never repay you for all you have done for me," she said sweetly. "But hopefully I can give you a little break from all of that." She paused and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. _Here goes…_"I applied to the Advanced Magical Studies program at Shiz University in OZ." The room was silent as they all listened carefully. "I applied, and I was accepted!" No one said anything for a moment as they tried to process this unexpected announcement.

Snow and Charming looked at each other with concern. Henry was excited; he recognized the name OZ and was telling Emma how cool it was that she would be going there. Marie and Hook both watched Regina to see how she would react. She closed her eyes and shook her head, as if she hadn't heard correctly. After a few seconds she opened her eyes and slowly raised her head to look at Lillian. When their eyes met the look on Regina's face instantly wiped the girl's smile away. It was worse than she had feared; a mixture of anger and extreme hurt.

Lillian swallowed nervously, not knowing what to say. Regina had so many thoughts running through her mind she didn't know where to begin.

"I know you're angry," Lillian began tentatively, "but-"

"Angry?" Regina cut her off. "Angry doesn't begin to describe what I'm feeling right now. Lillian, what were you thinking? How could you do something so reckless and dangerous?! We are in _hiding. _All of us came here to protect _you_ from Rumplestiltskin, and you're willing to put everyone at risk to learn magic?"

"You know how much it means to me mother, and I want to keep learning-"

"At what cost? Is magic so important to you that you'd put my life on the line? Or Snow's or Henry's?"

"Of course not. I want to learn more magic so I can help _protect _you all!" Lillian was starting to feel a little defensive. "I'm not stupid; I made up a fake name for the application."

"A fake name," Regina laughed, "You think that's enough to fool him? How did you even hear about this place, I've certainly never told you about it."

What she said stood out to Lillian. "Wait, did you _know_ about Shiz?"

Regina squirmed a little at having let that slip.

Lillian took her silence as a confirmation. "You _knew _about it and you never _told _me?! You lied to me! Why?"

Regina recovered and came back firmly, "You lied to me too, but at least my lie was to protect you."

"Protect me from what?!" Lillian was just as angry now. "Protect me from living, from growing?! You don't think I can handle it? I can't take care of myself?"

"Of course not," Regina tried to explain, "I was afraid that Rumplestiltskin would-"

"Well I'm not afraid of him!" Lillian was yelling now; everyone stood dead silent. "And I'm not going to let your fear keep me from living my life!"

She turned her back to her mother and stormed toward the door to the balcony. Regina went after her and stopped her just before she went outside.

"Lillian, please." She lowered her voice and spoke more calmly, "Let's go home and discuss this."

Lillian made a defiant face and pulled her arm away. "I don't want to go home. I'm staying here tonight."

She went outside and slammed the door behind her, leaving Regina standing in the middle of everyone awkwardly. The Queen did her best to regain her composure as she calmly walked over to Marie who silently took her by the hand. Regina apologized to the group and she and Marie excused themselves. In a puff of purple smoke they vanished.

The Charming family conferenced together trying to decide what to do about Lillian. While they were huddled up, Hook slipped out onto the balcony to have a word with the girl. She was pouting on a stone bench with her back facing the door. He approached her slowly, trying to seem non-threatening. She heard his footsteps but pretended she hadn't. He stopped next to her and waited for her to acknowledge his presence. When she didn't he decided to make the first move.

"Are you alright love?"

Lillian crossed her arms tightly, "No I'm not alright. My mother lied to me and made me look like a fool in front of my entire family!"

"No she didn't," he said plainly.

"Excuse me?" She had expected his sympathy and was shocked by his response.

"No she didn't," he repeated. "You made yourself look like a selfish brat."

Lillian was indignant. "Listen Hook," she began condescendingly, "Maybe you don't understand-"

"Oh I understand perfectly love." His voice remained calm and almost friendly despite the brutal honesty he was speaking with. He went on, "You wanted to go to this school and were afraid your mum would say no, and with good reason, so you applied without telling her. You didn't think about the fact that it could be dangerous for yourself or your family. You didn't think about the fact that it could be a trap. And worst of all you didn't think about the fact that if you did go you'd be leaving your mother behind after everything she's done for you."

Lillian was too stunned to respond. When she didn't say anything Hook continued.

"Look, I know you're a good girl, and this bratty tantrum thing isn't like you. You got caught in the wrong and you tried to make your mother look like the villain. But if you stop and think about the things she was saying you'll realize that she's only trying to do what she thinks is best for you."

Lillian was speechless; she had no idea what to say. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away.

Hook took that as his cue to leave. He placed his hand on her shoulder kindly. "I'd say get some rest but I know you won't. Take the night and think about what you're going to say to her tomorrow to make things right." He walked back inside and cut himself a piece of cake, leaving Lillian to think about what he had said.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Back at her house Regina was in tears. She was lying on her bed with her head resting in Marie's lap as she sobbed.

"It's alright dear," Marie soothed. "You'll make up in the morning. After a good night's sleep everything will be clear."

It had already been a very emotional day for Regina and this fight had completely pushed her over the edge. She hadn't seen it coming and felt like she had been blindsided by a semi-trailer. They had never had a fight like that before. What had gotten into Lillian?

"I…just…don't understand…how she could be…so careless," Regina said in between sobs.

Marie softly stroked her hair. She knew this was an opportunity for her to help guide Regina as someone with more parenting experience.

"I know it seems that way dear, I really do," she began gently, "but try to see things from her perspective. She has a gift, a real talent for magic, does she not?"

Regina nodded in agreement. Marie continued, "And she's learned everything she can from you and the Blue Fairy, has she not?"

Regina nodded again. Marie went on, "So, imagine you're Lillian and you find yourself in this predicament when all of a sudden, you hear of a solution to your problem. This is her dream Regina. You can't blame her for wanting to go after it. Didn't you ever go after a dream in your youth, even though it seemed careless?"

Of course she had. She had attempted to elope with Daniel after the King had proposed to her. "Yes," she agreed as she sat up, "and it did not turn out well."

Marie nodded. "And why was that?"

"Well, because my mother-" Regina stopped talking and thought about the implications of her answer. She started again. "My mother stopped me."

Marie let that answer settle on Regina and then the Queen spoke again, "Are you saying I should let her go?"

Marie responded carefully. "I'm saying you should try to help her achieve her dream if you can, instead of stopping her."

Regina thought long and hard about Marie's words late into the night, and determined to have a talk with her daughter first thing in the morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the long break in between updates. This chapter has lots of feels in it :) Enjoy!**

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Chapter 7:

Lillian lay on the bed in one of the many guest rooms in Snow and Charming's castle with her face buried in the pillow. She kept replaying the argument she had had with her mother over and over in her mind. It had not gone at all like she had hoped; what should have been a happy day ended with her feeling absolutely miserable.

She didn't hear the soft knock on the door, but turned when she heard someone enter the room. Snow closed the door behind her and crossed the room to the side of the bed. She smiled sympathetically at the sight of Lillian's tear stained cheeks.

"Snow, I'm so sorry," the girl blurted out quickly as she fell into her sister's arms. "You put together such a great birthday party for me and it got ruined…"

Snow pulled back and looked into Lillian's eyes. "That doesn't matter. All I care about is that you're ok…Are you?"

"I don't know… I've made such a mess out of everything, and my mother is so angry. I don't know if I can fix it."

The older sister smoothed the younger's hair in a comforting way. "The relationship that you and Regina have built is strong enough to withstand a few fights."

"But we've never fought like this. I've never seen her so upset."

Snow fought the urge to smile. _That was nothing_, she thought to herself. "Lil, she loves you so much. She waited so long for the chance to be with you; nothing would make her leave you now, least of all an argument like this. You mean everything to her. I'm sure you guys will figure everything out in the morning."

"But what does that mean? How will we 'figure it out'? One of us will have to give in, and she seemed pretty determined." The emotion in Lillian's voice reflected the frustration she felt at the situation. "I knew it was a long shot that she'd actually agree to let me go, but she didn't even consider it. She just refused right away."

"Well, it certainly was a surprise. I think she reacted the way any mother would; she was concerned for your safety. And to be completely honest I'm with her on that."

"So, you don't want me to go to Shiz either?"

"That's not what I'm saying. I just mean that she reacted the way she did because she was afraid; afraid that if she let you go off to Oz on your own that something bad would happen to you. Keeping you safe is of the utmost importance to both Regina and me, and we can't protect you if you're far away in some distant land."

"I guess I can understand that, but it feels like more... like she doesn't trust me. I mean, why didn't she tell me about Shiz? Doesn't she think I can handle more power? Is she worried that I will become like her and Cora; that power will corrupt me? You know me Snow; you know that I would never use my powers for evil, right?"

The girl sounded almost panicked; Snow knew she needed to alleviate her fears. "You're right, I do know you," she said gently. "I've seen what you are capable of. I've seen what you've done for Regina. Lil, you did something that I was beginning to believe wasn't possible; you helped her remember who she really is. You changed her, and that's no small thing; believe me I tried many times and failed. But you…you're special. You saved her life with true love's kiss after knowing she was your mother for only a few hours! That incredible goodness is what makes you so powerful." She took her sister by the hands and looked her in the eyes. "I have no doubts whatsoever about what you will do with your power, and neither does your mother. I don't think this is about her not trusting you; it's just about her wanting to keep you safe."

Tears welled up in Lillian's eyes. She desperately wanted to believe her. "Do you mean that?"

Snow smiled warmly and tears of empathy rolled down her cheeks. "Yes, I do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hook was right; after Snow left Lillian didn't get much sleep. She thought about what Marie, Hook, and her sister had all said to her over the past two days. She thought about Shiz and the Wizard and all the things she had dreamed of accomplishing in Oz. She thought about Rumplestiltskin and wished there was some way for her to escape his threat once and for all. However, she thought mostly about her mother and how much she hated the look of hurt on her face after her announcement. Round and round in circles she thought through it all until finally the sun began to peek from behind the eastern mountains, turning the sky a faint pink color.

She slipped out into the hallway, listening for a sound to suggest anyone else was awake. Finding the castle still and quiet she crept down the stairs and out the servant's door into the cool morning air. She pulled the hood on her cloak up and covered her head, disguising herself as she walked along the edge of the village toward her house. She was surprised at how calm she felt; her footsteps fell in a steady determined rhythm. It was difficult to be humbled like she had been, but she knew that the words her family and friends had spoken to her had been out of love and a genuine desire to help her make things right between her and Regina. She had taken what they had said to heart and she knew what she needed to do. She was ready to face her mother.

The tone inside the small home was somber. Despite the fact that it was very early both Regina and Marie were awake, busying themselves in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Regina was cutting fruit at the table while Marie boiled water for tea. The older woman kept stealing concerned glances at the queen, making sure she was doing alright emotionally, which Regina pretended not to notice. She was fighting the urge to magically appear in her daughter's room at the castle and resolve their argument from the night before. Marie had advised her that the best thing to do was to be patient and wait for the girl to come to her. Patience was not something the queen possessed much of, but she was doing her best to follow Marie's counsel.

As Lillian approached the house she could see that the women inside were awake. Her stomached tightened briefly with nerves. She took a deep breath on the doorstep before turning the knob and stepping inside.

Her eyes immediately met Regina's as the woman looked up at the sound of the door opening. Lillian offered a tentative smile which her mother did not return, instead returning her focus to the fruit on the table. The queen's cool response did not upset Lillian; she understood that Regina Mills did not forgive easily and that it would take much more than a smile to earn it.

Marie turned and smiled warmly, but frowned when she saw Regina's reaction. She crossed the room to take Lillian's hand, "It's good to have you home dear."

"Thank you," Lillian replied sincerely, appreciating the balance Marie brought to their family. Both she and her mother could be so stubborn, it was nice to have someone more level headed in the group.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you." Lillian sat down in the chair opposite her mother who continued to cut fruit as if she hadn't even entered the room.

Marie placed a cup in front of each of them and poured in some tea.

"Thank you Marie," Regina said softly without looking up.

Lillian and Marie exchanged a look and without a word the older woman put the kettle back on the hook next to the fire and wrapped her shawl around her as she headed for the door.

"Well, I'm off to the well to get us some fresh water," she said trying to sound casual. She stopped briefly behind Regina and squeezed her shoulder, reminding her of their conversation the night before. As she passed Lillian she put her hand on her cheek before bending down to pick up the bucket that sat by the door, and then she left mother and daughter alone in an uncomfortable silence.

Lillian watched as the queen cut what was left of a melon into bite size pieces and placed them in a large wooden bowl. She waited for her to look up when she was finished but instead her mother picked up an apple and started peeling. She couldn't help but smile as she thought _what will she do when she runs out of fruit_? She knew she had to be the one to break the ice.

"Mother, I'm sorry," she began. "I'm sorry that I lied to you, and yelled at you."

Regina continued peeling the apple, but her movements slowed as she listened intently.

Lillian continued, "You were right, I didn't think about the danger I was putting everyone in and I didn't think about how it would make you feel. I never meant to hurt you."

The queen finally stopped what she was doing and looked up at her daughter. Her face had softened somewhat but still retained the sadness from their argument. Their eyes met and Lillian's filled with remorseful tears as she saw a tear roll down her mother's cheek.

Regina looked down again as she spoke, "I wanted to be the person you talked to about your hopes and dreams, not the one you kept them from because you were afraid I would crush them."

Lillian reached out and took her by the hand. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you mother. I just wanted it so badly…I was afraid to let it go if you said no."

The queen nodded, she knew how difficult it could be to let go of a dream. It had been her unwillingness to let go of the life she could have had with Daniel that led to her casting the dark curse.

"You understand why I said no though, don't you?"

"I thought it was because you didn't trust me-"

"Of course I trust you," Regina interjected, wanting to assure her that wasn't the case. "It's Rumplestiltskin I don't trust."

"I know that now," Lillian replied softly. "That's why I'm not going."

"What?" Regina was surprised; she didn't expect to hear her daughter say that.

"You were right. I didn't think about the fact that I was putting everyone in danger. And after everything you've done for me, everything you've sacrificed, it was selfish of me to think that I could just leave like that. We need more time together. I can still go to Shiz, just not right now. Who knows, maybe by next year everything will be resolved with Mr. Gold."

Regina couldn't help but smile; the way the girl was able to find hope in the situation reminded her of her step daughter. Once again the maturity Lillian possessed shone through in her willingness to make peace even at the expense of her own wishes. "You never cease to amaze me," she said warmly. Marie's words from the night before came into her mind, _try to help her achieve her dreams_. She took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Lillian, I've tried to be very careful not to be the kind of mother who pushes you toward things you don't want. That's what my mother did. But I also don't want to be the kind of mother that holds you back. You were right last night when you said that you shouldn't let my fears keep you from living and growing. If this is what you really want…then it's what I want too."

Lillian was stunned. She had already agreed not to go, just like her mother wanted her to, and now she was giving her permission. New tears formed in her eyes as she felt the hope of her dreams returning. "Mother, do you really mean that?"

The queen smiled happily and reached across the table and put her hand on her daughter's cheek. "I made you a promise, that I would help you find a way to learn more magic, and I'm going to keep that promise."

The girl positively beamed with joy at her mother's words; she couldn't believe this was really happening. "But what about Rumplestiltskin and-"

"We'll figure that all out. Don't worry about it right now." She watched Lillian for a long moment, realizing that this would change everything. She knew that her daughter wasn't a girl anymore; she was a woman ready to take her first independent steps in the world. The thought made her proud and also quite sad, but she knew that it would be worth it for her daughter to be happy.

Lillian looked into her mother's eyes and noticed the melancholy that had taken root in them. Another sacrifice. She was amazed by the selflessness Regina repeatedly showed in her behalf. It was hard to remember that this woman had once been known as the Evil Queen.

"Thank you mother. Thank you so much!"

The two embraced and Regina softly whispered a reply, "Anything for you sweetheart. Anything."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: Thanks to you all for your continued support. Hopefully my updates will be more frequent now but to make up for my lack of updating regularly, here is an extra long one. Before this chapter I just wanted to remind you that both of my stories follow cannon up to season 2 episode 5 (The Doctor) then AU after that. I wrote "The Apple of my Eye" before Snow and Emma found a way out of the Enchanted Forest, so as far as my universe is concerned Hook and Cora did not make it to Storybrooke and never possessed a magic bean. Just something to keep in mind as you read this chapter. Thanks to karjens44 for her awesome beta skills :)**

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Chapter 8:

Several days had passed since the decision had been made to send Lillian to Oz. There were only 3 weeks left before classes began so the family spent a lot of their time making plans and preparations for her journey.

"I still don't like the idea of you going alone," Regina stubbornly reminded her daughter as they took what was supposed to be a break from planning for lunch.

"I know mother, but we've been through this. It doesn't make sense for you to come. I'll be living in a dormitory on campus and attending classes all day which would leave you'd cooped up in some inn by yourself. Plus you'd be separated from Henry for months. It just won't work."

Regina sighed out of frustration. She knew Lillian was right but letting her daughter venture outside of her sphere of protection was proving rather difficult.

"That is if we can figure out a way to get you there in the first place," David said to no one in particular as he took a piece of pheasant from the platter and placed it on his plate.

Finding a way to cross realms was by far the most challenging part of preparing Lillian for Shiz. They tried finding Jefferson, the Mad Hatter, to convince him to facilitate her journey to Oz but he was nowhere to be found. Which was just as well, because Regina was fairly certain she had burned that bridge irreparably. Hook even put out some feelers with his former contacts from the black market but it seemed that all methods of realm jumping had become impossible to obtain.

"Guys, we're supposed to be taking a break from smashing our heads against that brick wall; can we please talk about something else? Or, better yet, not talk _at all_?" Emma wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. She and Snow had spent weeks trying to solve this same problem to return to Storybrooke 2 years ago; it felt a bit like déjà vu.

Everyone followed her lead and just focused on their meals. After a few minutes of relative silence David spoke again asking for the bowl of beans to be passed to him.

_Beans…_

The word resonated in Henry's brain.

_Beans…_

_Of course! _He thought, _why didn't we think of that before?!_

Following his own train of thought he suddenly yelled, "That's it!"

His outburst startled the others and earned him a reprimand from Regina, "Henry! You know better than to yell at the table."

Ignoring her scowl he started to explain, "Don't you see? That's the answer!"

The room was filled with confused faces; clearly they weren't following.

Emma tried to understand. "What are you talking about Henry? The answer to what?"

"_Magic beans. _That's how we can get Lillian to Oz."

"They don't exist anymore," David explained kindly. "There are no more giants to grow them."

Snow and Emma looked at each other; they knew from their experience in the Enchanted Forest with Cora that that wasn't true.

"Anton," Emma said out loud.

Snow nodded; the idea had never occurred to them before.

The others were still having trouble following along.

"Who's Anton," Lillian asked.

"The last surviving giant. Hook and I climbed his beanstalk the last time we were here to get a magic compass to guide us back to Storybrooke."

A few pairs of eyes turned to the pirate looking for confirmation.

Hook took his feet off the table and sat up straight as he spoke, "There was a giant up there Swan, but I don't recall seeing rows of magic bean plants ready to harvest."

"Just because we didn't see them doesn't mean he didn't have any. He didn't trust humans at all; he wouldn't have kept them in plain sight."

It sounded plausible to most of them. Regina was skeptical.

"And you think _you've_ earned his trust? That he'll give you some beans just like that?"

Emma looked the brunette in the eyes boldly. "Yes, I do."

They held their face off for a moment until David spoke, "It's worth a try. How far is it from here?"

"About a half a day's ride; it shouldn't be too difficult," Snow affirmed.

Heads nodded in agreement around the table. "Alright, I'll leave first thing in the morning." Emma was relieved to have something productive to do.

"Can I come too mom?" Henry had been desperate for a proper adventure or quest since his arrival in the Enchanted Forest, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

The blonde considered it before looking at Regina for her approval. The two women had reached a level of co-parenting where they didn't feel they had to include each other in every decision for their son, but knew when the other's approval would be appropriate. The queen nodded, giving her permission, eliciting a whoop from the ecstatic 14 year old.

"I'd like to come as well, if that's alright," Lillian asserted. "After all, we need this favor because of me. I'd like to help in any way I can."

Emma smiled, "Of course Lil, once Anton meets you I'm sure he'll agree to help us."

Lillian returned the smile, pleased that Emma thought her presence would be valuable.

"In that case I'm coming too," Regina said taking her daughter by the hand. With only 3 weeks left before they were to be separated she wanted to spend as much time together as possible. Lillian squeezed her mother's hand empathetically and the two exchanged a quick smile.

"Well, I suppose that means I'm in as well," Hook added with a glance at Regina. "I have fond memories of that beanstalk; nearly falling to my death a few times and such." Everyone chuckled at his joke but his eyes remained on her.

The weight of his gaze made the queen's heart beat faster. She looked away and tried not to over think it.

"It's settled then," David said happily as he clapped Henry on the back. "Well, done!"

Henry's face beamed with excitement. He couldn't wait to have his first real fairytale adventure.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Killian Jones had never enjoyed being on the back of a horse. While the beasts served as an effective mode of inland transportation he found the whole experience rather dull and uncomfortable. He preferred the feel of the wheel in his hands as opposed to the reins, the deck beneath his boots instead of stirrups, the sway of the ship over the bump of the saddle.

"Remind me again why you couldn't just transport us to the beanstalk and save us all this trouble," he grumbled to Regina who rode to his left on her black stallion.

She scoffed jokingly. "Come now Captain, where is your sense of adventure?"

"I think I left it back on the trail when this beast tried to brush me off with a low tree branch."

Regina frowned at him. "He's no beast, he's a beautiful animal."

"He's a pain in the ass," Hook murmured under his breath.

She heard him anyway. "That's why we put you on that horse, so one pain in the ass could slap the other around," she teased.

Her throaty laugh made him smile in spite of himself, but his face became much more serious when he saw how beautiful she looked in that moment; so beautiful that he forgot to breathe. He would endure all the discomforts of this day if it meant he could be near her. He looked away before she noticed his stare.

Hook didn't know when it had happened or why but sometime over the past 2 weeks since he had come to this part of the forest he had become increasingly drawn to the queen. Her unparalleled beauty and intriguing complexity had initially piqued his interest but as they spent more time together he felt an indescribable connection to the woman and a growing desire to protect her and her daughter. At times it seemed that she reciprocated his affections but he couldn't be sure. Perhaps in time her feelings would become clearer.

The remainder of their journey to the giant's beanstalk unfolded without incident and they reached their destination shortly after mid-day. Henry shielded his eyes against the sun light as he stared up at the seemingly never ending beanstalk that loomed over them. He was eager to meet the giant who lived at the top.

"Ok, let's get started," he said excitedly as he gripped the stalk and searched for his fist foothold.

"Easy there kid." Emma placed her hand on his shoulder indicating that he shouldn't continue. "We're not climbing today."

"We're not?" The disappointment was evident in his voice.

"Nope. That would take hours and it's way too dangerous. We're magic-ing to the top."

Determined not to let that ruin his adventure Henry hopped down and happily awaited his magical ride.

Emma turned to Lillian, "You ready?"

"Yes," came her reply. She turned to Hook, "You coming?"

"I think it would be best for our large friend and me not to be reunited," he explained. "I did call him a git last time I saw him; wouldn't want my colorful history with the giant to jeopardize our chances."

Lillian nodded. "Mother?"

Regina shrugged her shoulders apologetically. "It might be a good idea for me to wait down here as well. The Evil Queen made a lot of enemies." She looked down at the ground sheepishly; once again faced with a reminder of her past transgressions.

Lillian took a step closer to her mother who brought her gaze up to meet the girl's eyes. She smiled warmly, assuring her that she understood. "We'll be back soon." They kissed each other on the cheek and the threesome gathered at the base of the stalk.

Emma wasn't sure who would be taking them to the top. "Are you driving or am I?"

"Go ahead," Lillian said with a chuckle at Emma's humor.

"Ok."

All three of them held hands as the blonde closed her eyes and took a deep breath before they vanished in a cloud of white smoke.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

When the smoke cleared and Emma opened her eyes she was pleasantly surprised to see that she had successfully transported them to the giant's realm.

"Well done Emma," Lillian complimented sincerely.

"Thanks." With a smile and a sigh of relief she took a step forward. The courtyard of the giant's castle looked much as it had the last time she was here. The bones of many men lay strewn about amongst shields, swords and other armor; evidence of the many looters who had attempted to rob the great gardeners of their mystical crop.

To a 14 year old boy it was exhilarating. "Cool," Henry whispered as he followed his mother out into the courtyard.

"What do we do now," Lillian asked nervously.

Before Emma could respond the ground beneath them shook violently and a great thundering sound rumbled in their ears.

"I think he knows we're here." Emma pulled Henry closer to her as they tried to keep their balance. Suddenly the great doors to the castle swung open revealing the giant himself whose face was twisted in an angry snarl to match the fearsome growl that tore through the air.

Lillian and Henry instinctively covered their ears against the sound. Emma positioned herself in front of them praying that he would recognize her.

After another terrifying snarl the giant came out into the courtyard and in his most intimidating voice demanded, "Who dares enter my kingdom?"

"We did," Emma shouted back, holding her hands out in front of herself to show she meant no harm.

The giant scanned the square searching for the poor soul who had dared venture into his domain. When he saw the woman who had spoken his expression changed from one of anger to one of disbelief. He took two thundering steps closer to get a better look at her.

Emma was relieved to see that he hadn't charged at them in anger yet; perhaps this would actually work.

"I don't know if you remember me," she said tentatively, "but we met a few years ago. I came here looking for a compass…my name is-"

"Emma," the giant interjected. "Emma Swan!"

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Regina paced impatiently at the base of the beanstalk. She hated waiting. Part of her was insisting that she go up there just to be sure everything was going alright, but this was a test, a baby step for her to prove that she trusted Lillian and had faith that she could handle things on her own.

Hook watched her, entertained by the internal struggle she seemed to be having. He could see her wrestling with the desire to take control of the situation and forcing herself to wait. After a few moments of amusement he decided to help distract her.

"Swimming naked in the ocean," he said to her loudly.

His extremely odd comment snapped her out of her thoughts immediately. "I'm sorry?"

"That's what I'd rather be doing right now," he explained. "Swimming naked in the ocean."

She was at a loss for words. Her face was scrunched up in an expression of disgust and bewilderment.

He raised his eyebrows at her facetiously in an effort to coax her into a friendly verbal jousting match. "You should try it sometime; I'd be happy to accompany if you're afraid."

That did it.

"Ugh," she exclaimed, "what is wrong with you?"

He smiled victoriously, pleased that he had succeeded.

"Honestly, you have the mentality of a hormonal teenager. Is that all you think about?"

He made a face like he was doing an inventory of his thoughts to see if she was right. She scoffed and turned away.

"Come now," he called after her, "I'm only joking!"

She stopped walking away but kept her back to him, arms folded stubbornly.

"Regina, please, I promise I won't say anything else in bad-form."

She half turned and shot him a menacing look out of the corner of her eye. He put his hand to his heart and gave her a cautious smile. Without saying anything she walked slowly over to a boulder near him and sat down. She kept her arms folded and a stern look on her face but he knew she had forgiven him.

He could see that his plan was working; she was no longer worrying about Lillian and Henry. _Got to keep her talking_, he thought.

"Have you ever been out on a ship, milady?"

"No, I haven't," she answered directly.

"It's quite liberating actually," he mused. "Being completely at the mercy of the sea…it really puts things into perspective."

She had a difficult time staying mad at him; his carefree manner was contagious and, if she was honest with herself, she had to admit she had actually come to truly enjoy his company. "I guess I can see how that would be…thought provoking," she replied in an attempt to make peace.

"Perhaps someday I could persuade you to come aboard the Jolly Roger." His tone was friendly and cheerful. "I'd love for you to feel the sea breeze on your face, the thrill of the waves crashing against the hull…"

"That sounds lovely," she replied candidly; she was starting to forget why she had been cross with him.

"Well, we'll have to make that happen then, won't we?" He smiled at her again but this time there was a bit of heat smoldering behind it. She noticed the difference.

She loved it when he smiled at her like that; she felt a flutter in her stomach again and couldn't help but return the look with one of her own. He could be so charming when he wanted to be. She stood up and resumed her pacing, but it wasn't out of worry.

The connection he felt between them pulsed in that moment, as did the desire he had to protect her. Over the past few days as they had all sat discussing the necessary elements of Lillian's trip to Oz Hook had given very little input. It wasn't that he didn't care, on the contrary he was staring to care very much, but rather that he didn't feel it was his place. This was a family matter and as the only outsider, besides the Blue Fairy who had been strangely absent recently, he felt as though his comments might not be welcomed. But seeing the queen struggle to put on a brave face when she was so obviously devastated by the thought of being separated from her daughter had emboldened him to offer his services in any way that could be helpful.

"So, if they are successful and obtain these magic beans I suppose it's smooth sailing from here out, as far as preparations go, right?"

Regina stopped pacing and leaned against the beanstalk. "Yes, I suppose so." Her voice sounded heavy, sad at the fact that there was not much time left. "I can't believe she'll really be gone for several months…it will be lonely without her." She paused for a moment lost in her thoughts. Not wanting to sound too maudlin she tried to shift the tone of the conversation, "But I really am so excited for her, it's an amazing opportunity, and I know she will just blossom there."

She smiled again but Hook noticed that it didn't reach her eyes. "She is a remarkable young woman," he complimented, "I have no doubts that she will excel."

"Thank you. She really is; so mature and focused…the only thing I just can't seem to accept is the idea of her going there alone. It's not that I don't think she can handle herself, it's just… as a mother I can't bear the thought of her being so far away without anyone close by to lend support, watch out for her, and simply be _there_ for her."

He could practically see this worry weighing on her mind. As Lillian had said the day before, they had been through it many times and there was not a clear solution to this one problem. None of the family could realistically travel with her to Oz; it just couldn't work, no matter how they tried to configure it. That's when he realized how he could be of use to her, the way to lift this burden from her shoulders.

"I could go with her," he said thoughtfully.

She hadn't been sure she had heard him correctly. "What did you say?"

He cleared his throat, "I could travel with Lillian to Oz."

XxXxXxXxXxX

"So, this girl is your aunt," Anton said slowly, trying to piece all the information together. "And she needs magic beans to travel to a far away land to learn good magic."

Emma nodded, indicating that he had understood the gist of it correctly.

"And you want me to give them to you…"

Emma could tell he was hesitant. "Anton, I know how much the beans mean to you, and I know that you have had bad people try to take advantage of you for them in the past; but you know that I am not like that. I kept my promise to you and I wouldn't come here to ask this of you if I wasn't certain that they will be used for good, just like I told you."

Anton considered her words, but still wasn't sure.

Lillian decided she needed to plead her case. "I understand your reluctance to give us something so powerful, Anton, I really do. I wouldn't ask for such a favor if there were any other way, but the truth is that you're my only hope." His face softened at her words and he continued to listen intently. "There is a very bad man who is trying to find me. He wants me to use my powers to do something bad, and I need to go to this far away land so that I can learn how to defeat him and protect my family." A single tear rolled down the giant's cheek and splashed into a puddle on the ground. "I give you my word Anton, these beans will never leave my possession and they will never be used to cause anyone harm."

Anton sniffed loudly and wiped his eye with the back of his sleeve. He slowly put his hand in his pocket and withdrew a golden pouch. He held it in his hand for a moment and gave Lillian one last calculating look. Then he slowly lowered his hand in front of her and presented the pouch. She took it from him and unfastened the tie. Inside were five shimmering beans. Her eyes widened at the beautiful magic she held in her hand and she looked up into the giant's kind eyes.

"Thank you Anton. Thank you so much! How can we ever repay your kindness?"

He thought for a moment before speaking again, "Don't forget about me. Promise me you'll visit?"

The three humans smiled up at their friend. "Of course we won't forget you," Lillian assured. "And we will absolutely visit. I promise."

XxXxXxXxX

"I made you a deal that I would be on guard for the Dark One in her behalf and I don't see why that deal should change just because she's journeying to a different realm." Hook laid out his offer to the queen, but when she didn't respond he got worried that he had overstepped his bounds.

"Look, I know that I'm not family or anything, but I do know the girl and would be a friendly face amongst all those strangers, plus provide at least _some_ extra protection…"

Regina was stunned, she never expected the pirate to make such an offer. "You would do that?"

Hook gave a little half smile. "I'd hate for her to be alone."

Regina took two steps closing the gap between them somewhat. She felt incredibly grateful that he would do such a thing for her daughter; the peace of mind that would provide would make it almost bearable.

"I hardly know what to say." Her eyes flitted down to his lips for a split second, making his heart skip a beat. "Thank you Killian."

The way she said his name, almost as a whisper, sounded as sweet as honey. He ventured a glance down at her full lips and felt the desire to take her into his arms. He was almost sure she would have let him; instead he simply bowed his head in a chivalrous manner. "I am at your service my lady, always."


End file.
